About Me

Hello, welcome to my website. My name is Eleanor and I am an interior designer. I often work with remodeling contractors to achieve beautiful home remodels for my clients. My specialty is completing remodels that want to incorporate more nature into the home and surrounding area. My contractors know that I love to put in large windows on all floors and add special features like large rock waterfalls in the backyard. My nature-centered remodels have won me amazing clients who appreciate nature in their homes as much as I do. I started this blog to share tips and tricks from my contractor friends. Read on!

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Few remodeling projects add as much value to your home as updating your kitchen. According to "Realtor" magazine, homeowners who invest in a remodeled kitchen can expect to recoup as much as 79 percent of the money they spend. And, that doesn't even take into account the joy you and your family will get from your remodeled eating and cooking areas. However, completely remodeling your kitchen can be expensive. Fortunately, there are a number of ways to save money of this project without sacrificing quality.

1. Reface your cabinets rather than replacing them. One of the easiest ways to save money on your kitchen project is to make use of your existing cabinetry. If your cabinets are in good physical shape, but just look a little dated, you can replace the fronts of them and the hardware without having to invest in all that new wood. The result will look the same as completely new cabinetry.

2. Add space vertically. Most kitchens have wasted space near the ceiling. You can save the cost of knocking out walls to add that extra cabinet space by building up rather than out. Most people have seasonal or specialty cooking items that they don't use every day. Storing these items in cabinets near the ceiling can help you house all of your kitchen gear without reconfiguring your room.

3. Don't balk at recycled materials. Using materials that have been salvaged from a house than was torn down can not only save you money, but can offer one-of-a-kind pieces that you wouldn't be able to find today while being kind to the environment. Habitat for Humanity ReStores are just one of the many sources of recycled building materials around the U.S.

4. Time your remodeling project in the contractor off-season. Most contractors are the busiest during the middle of the summer, when people are adding new additions to the homes and other projects that are difficult--if not impossible--during the winter. If you wait until later in the year for your kitchen project, your contractor is much more likely to be willing to work with you on the price of their services.

While remodeling your kitchen can take a bite out of your savings account, there are several ways to save money without cutting corners. Consider refacing your cabinets rather than replacing them, look for salvaged materials in good shape, go up instead of out and schedule your project your contractor's slow season. Click here to learn more about a kitchen remodeling service.